Bins need to be placed at the boundary of your property by 7am on your collection day.

Following collection please place your bins back onto your property.

If you live in a flat with a communal bin area there is no need to move the bins, they will be collected and returned to the allocated bin areas.

To find out your collection day and which bin is collected in which week, please check the bin collection day widget. The bin collection calendar link is in the Related Content section.

If you are physically unable to place your bin at the boundary, please see the ‘Special collections’ section

Contaminated bins

Please see the ‘What goes where?’ page of the website to find out which items to place in each of your bins or use the A - Z of materials in Related Content section.

All items should be placed loose into your recyclables bin.

If your bin contains incorrect items, it will not be collected and the crew will make a note of the contamination on the waste management system.

In addition, a photograph of your bin contents may be taken for our records*.

Common incorrect items

Please DO NOT place any of the following items in the RECYCLABLES bin:

Food

Food stained packaging

Clothing and textiles

Nappies

Plastic carrier bags

Black sacks

Plastic wrapping

Please DO NOT place any of the following items in the COMPOSTABLES bin:

Soil and mud

Food packaging

Animal waste

Please DO NOT place any of the following items in the NON RECYCLABLES bin:

Building materials / rubble

Tiles

Plasterboard

These lists are not exhaustive. If you are unsure about a particular item please check the 'What goes where?' page or the A-Z of materials tool in the Related Content section.

*Any photographs taken will be done so for purposes connected to the Council’s waste collection service, including but not limited to compliance with Council policy and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This initiative is to be implemented for the benefit of the public, to ensure that bin collections are carried out fairly and efficiently, and to resolve any dispute. Any photograph taken will comply with the relevant privacy and data protection laws.

Side waste

Additional waste left next to or on top of your bins will not be collected.

Textiles in blue sacks (please see the kerbside textiles section on the 'what goes where' page)

During the Christmas and New Year period, residents will be advised if and when additional waste is collected. This will appear on the relevant collection calendar.

Missed bins

If your bin was missed, but was not contaminated and there was no side waste, then it may have been missed due to one of the following reasons:

The bin was not presented at the boundary of your property

The bin was not presented by 7am on your collection day

The incorrect bin was presented

The crew were unable to collect the bin due to an obstruction (e.g. access blocked by a vehicle)

The bin was too heavy

If the collection crew arrive at the property to find that the bin is not presented correctly, they will make a note of the problem they have identified on their electronic device and on some occasions may take a photograph for our records*.

If you believe that your bin was genuinely missed, please report it within two working days following your scheduled collection day using the on line form in Related Content.

If a missed collection is not reported within the two working days the bin will not be emptied until the next scheduled collection day.

*Any photographs taken will be done so for purposes connected to the Council’s waste collection service, including but not limited to compliance with Council policy and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This initiative is to be implemented for the benefit of the public, to ensure that bin collections are carried out fairly and efficiently, and to resolve any dispute. Any photograph taken will comply with the relevant privacy and data protection laws

Special collections

Assisted collections

If you are physically unable to move your bins, and have no able bodied person to help you, you can apply for an assisted collection. This means that the collection crew will collect your bins from a specified area on your property and return the to the same place after emptying them.

Please complete the form in the Related Content section to arrange this.

Exemptions

If you are unable to separate out your waste due to any medical conditions, you can apply for an exemption from the scheme. This means you will be provided with one large non recyclables bin to place all of your waste into, and this will be collected fortnightly on your normal non recyclables collection day.

Please complete the form in the Related Content section to arrange this.

Charges for bins in new properties

New properties in the District are provided with a set of three bins, which are paid for by the developer or the householder.

If you have moved into a new property and wheeled bins have not been provided, please contact the developer to find out if they have paid for the bins for your property. If the developer has not paid the householder will need to order and pay for a set of bins.

The bins remain the property of Rochford District Council and cannot be taken with the resident if they move.